Duke Blue Devils now lead the men's power rankings in college basketball. They grabbed the No. 1 spot after a strong win over Michigan in Washington D.C. This puts them on track for the top overall seed in the men's NCAA tournament. The team sits at 26-2 with three tough games left. Rivals like Arizona and Michigan trail close behind. It's late February 2026. Selection Sunday looms. Every game counts.
Key Takeaways
- Duke tops power rankings at 26-2, first in NET rankings, with 12 Quadrant 1 wins tied for most.
- Blue Devils beat Michigan decisively, showing elite defense while scoring big against Syracuse and Notre Dame.
- Upcoming slate: Virginia, NC State, North Carolina – all top-30 foes to lock in No. 1 seed.
- Coach Jon Scheyer guides team from preseason top-5 miss to best record despite thin talent.
Background
College basketball heats up as the regular season winds down. Duke entered this week strong but not at the top. They rose in the AP poll to No. 1. Power rankings followed suit. It's a tight race among top teams. All have few losses. Michigan dropped from No. 1 after that D.C. loss. Arizona holds steady at No. 2 with the same 26-2 mark. UConn climbed after blowouts. Houston sits fourth. The Blue Devils were picked outside the top five before the year. Now they're the team to beat. Losses? Just two. Both in the final seconds. Tough breaks. But they bounced back. Cameron Boozer leads them. He's the favorite for National Player of the Year. His play fuels the offense. Defense shines brightest. They kept Michigan off the boards. No easy transition buckets. Sandwiched between that? Wins over Syracuse and Notre Dame. Total points: 201. Impressive.
And it's not just talent. Recruiting helps. Top class. But coach Jon Scheyer gets little buzz for honors. Duke always loads up. Still, this squad lacks last year's depth. Yet here they are. Best record in the country. On pace for the top seed last year's team missed. Preseason doubters? Silent now.
Other teams stir. UConn crushed St. John's by 32. Biggest win in series history. Followed a Villanova road victory. Concerns about Big East play faded. Michigan's guards stepped up lately. Elliot Cadeau, Trey McKenney, L.J. Cason combined for 43 points versus Purdue. Frontcourt gets hype. Guards deliver now.
Arizona matches Duke's record. They tie in Quadrant 1 wins. Houston has 12 too. But recent form wobbles. Three wins in last nine. BYU struggles without Richie Saunders.
Key Details
Duke's metrics scream elite. First in NET. Third in résumé averages. Second in predictive stats. Perfect storm for bracketologists. Three games remain. Virginia at home. Then at NC State. Finale versus North Carolina. All top-30. Win out? No. 1 seed locked. Bracket predictions already slot them there.
Duke's Path Forward
Cameron Boozer averages big. Defense No. 1 nationally. Opponents can't rebound. No fast breaks. Offense steady. Not explosive like some. But efficient. Scheyer's adjustments pay off. Two losses by seconds. Heartbreakers. Yet 26 wins. ACC leaders at 14-1. Virginia close at 13-2.
Rivals chase. Arizona next seven days: at USC, at UCLA. Tough road. Michigan at Purdue tonight. Then Indiana. UConn at Illinois tomorrow. Houston at West Virginia, Cincinnati. Schedules brutal. Slips possible. Duke controls destiny.
North Carolina lurks. 22-6. Back-to-back wins sans Caleb Wilson. Henri Veesaar returns. Seth Trimble dropped 30 on Louisville. Zayden High steps up. That finale? Rivalry fire. Duke-NC always intense.
St. John's fell hard. 32-point UConn loss. Rick Pitino's worst as ranked coach nearly. Eye-opener. Alabama heats up. Seven straight, all 89-plus points. Three over 100. But Tennessee, Georgia, Auburn ahead. Mark Gottfried's Vols mixed. Vanderbilt win. Missouri loss. Top scorers Ja'Kobi Gillespie and Nate Ament shot poor. 5-for-19 second half.
Michigan State eyes Purdue tonight. Guards key in wins. 11.1 points average versus 6.8 in losses.
"Duke looks like the best team right now. Their defense is lockdown. But these last games will test them." – ACC analyst Mark Few
BYU's marquee Iowa State win boosts résumé. Villanova, Wisconsin, Miami, Clemson too. Top 25 in most metrics. But 3-6 lately. Saunders out hurts.
Men's Power Rankings
Here's the top chase pack. Duke No. 1. Arizona 2. Michigan 3. UConn 4. Houston 5. Others: BYU, Tennessee, North Carolina, Alabama, Michigan State. AP poll agrees mostly. Duke 56 first-place votes. Arizona 5. Michigan close.
Teams like Miami (OH) undefeated at 27-0. But lower ranked. NET backs Duke. WAB has Michigan slight edge. But power lists crown Blue Devils.
What This Means
Top seed matters. Best path in tournament. Avoid early killers. Duke's inside track grows. Win those three? Bracket heads project No. 1 East or Midwest. Rivals must falter. Arizona needs sweeps. Michigan guard play sustains? UConn dominates Big East? Possible. But Duke's defense. Metrics. Schedule. All favor them.
Fans watch close. Injuries loom. Form dips happen. Houston's skid. BYU's absences. St. John's wake-up. Selection Sunday decides. But momentum with Duke. National title talk brews. Boozer carries. Scheyer coaches smart. Blue Devils roll.
ACC tight. Duke leads. UNC, Virginia chase. Those games shake standings. Tournament seeding too. No. 1 overall? Resume boost. Bye in first rounds. Path clears.
Other implications. Coach of Year chatter. Scheyer deserves nod. Overcame preseason shade. Talent gap from last year. Yet better seed track. Player awards. Boozer front-runner. Guards elsewhere shine. Cadeau. Sandfort at Iowa? 33 on Penn State. Hot streak.
Late season grind. Purdue-Michigan State tonight. Illinois-UConn tomorrow. USC-UCLA for Arizona. Chaos brews. One loss drops teams. Duke avoids slip. They control it.
Check our coverage on Real Madrid's transfer pursuits for more soccer buzz or Juventus goalkeeper rumors amid the sports world.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can any team catch Duke for the No. 1 seed?
A: Yes, but it's tough. Arizona and Michigan match records. UConn surges. Duke's metrics and schedule give edge. They need rivals to lose.
Q: Who leads Duke on the court?
A: Cameron Boozer. National Player of the Year favorite. Fuels offense. Defense team-wide elite.
Q: What's Duke's remaining schedule?
A: Home vs. Virginia. At NC State. Home vs. North Carolina. All top-30 opponents.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can any team catch Duke for the No. 1 seed?
Yes, but it’s tough. Arizona and Michigan match records. UConn surges. Duke’s metrics and schedule give edge. They need rivals to lose.
Who leads Duke on the court?
Cameron Boozer. National Player of the Year favorite. Fuels offense. Defense team-wide elite.
What’s Duke’s remaining schedule?
Home vs. Virginia. At NC State. Home vs. North Carolina. All top-30 opponents.
